Time is money and in this economy, the saying has never been more meaningful. School administrators need to accomplish more with fewer resources. One of the main functions of the Data Service Center is to develop web-based applications that make time-consuming business functions easier and quicker to deal with and therefore help administrators save time and money. Whether managing finances or tracking FTEs, the Data Service Center can help make the task more efficient.
One time-consuming but vital task within the Human Resources department is the employee verification process. Working with HR staff from Red Clay Consolidated School District, the Data Service Center developed and implemented a web-based Employee Data Verification system that reduces much of the time staff devotes to that process. According to Hugh Broomall, Red Clay’s Human Resources Manager, “We wanted to eliminate the tedious process of dealing with our paper-based verification system. The new on-line system is a much simpler process with the added benefit of accountability that we can track.”
Red Clay’s previous process consisted of printing and distributing a paper copy of an employee’s information. If an employee required a change to such information as their address or education level, they marked their sheet with the appropriate amendments and returned the form to the Human Resources Department. HR staff then had to process more than 1,800 pieces of paper and make note of any changes to employee information. As careful as staff was in processing the change requests, sometimes a request was not processed and the correction went unchanged. On some occasions, an employee has stated they have sent the correction to the HR department year after year and it does not change. With the online verification system, the employee is able to confirm that HR has heard their concern and that they have addressed the issue. HR staff does not have to go through myriads of paper to make the necessary changes. It is a win-win situation for all involved.
Other aspects of the system help HR staff efficiently manage the employee verification process. Taking advantage of the Employee Verification search function, HR staff can use the system to filter employees to find those who have questions. The Employee Verification system provides a list of employees with concerns that the HR staff can follow up on and act on. The benefits of the system reach beyond HR staff. Employees no longer have to sign and return their verification forms, which eliminates the burden of dealing with all of the forms on clerical staff at the building level. With the elimination of this paperwork, the clerical staff can focus attention on other aspects of their job.
The new system streamlines the entire verification process and provides accountability – the online system maintains a record of requested changes and prompts HR staff to review and act upon employee concerns. Employees know that there is a record of their verification and that their requested changes have in fact been made.
For more information about the new Employee Verification system or any of the Data Service Center’s services, please call Steve Reynolds at (302) 504-7228.
Screenshot from Employee Data Verification system
